The British on Holiday

Schools close for the summer in the UK about the middle of July and open again at the beginning of September, so most families go on holiday in July and in August.

Many families go to the Mediterranean to get two weeks of the sun. The most popular destination in Europe is Spain. Outside Europe, Florida in the USA is the top destination.

Many families stay in the UK for their summer holidays. Popular seaside resorts are Scarborough and Blackpool, some places in Devon and Cornwell.

But even if the sun shines, the sea never gets very warm. A new alternative is to go to a leisure complex like Centre Parks, which has heated swimming pools under a big glass dome and many indoor and outdoor activities like cycling, horse riding and archery.

Questions:

1.When do British schools close for the summer?

2.Where do British families go on holiday?

3.What activities does a leisure complex offer its visitors?

4.Which holiday do you prefer: beach, sightseeing or action? Why?

5.Where did you last go on holiday? What kind of holiday was it?

6.Who did you go on holiday with?

7.Where did you live there? Had you booked accommodation in advance?

8.What did you like doing there most of all?

9.What places of interest did you see there?

10.What holiday would you like to have next time?

CARD 20

Text 1

HOGMANAYEncyclopaedia Britannica

Many national and local celebrations took place in Scotland in the past and some survive to this day. They start on January 1^st and finish on the major celebration on the Scottish calendar – Hogmanay, New Year's Eve, on December 31^st. Hogmanay, the celebration of bringing in the New Year is a more important festival in Scotland than Christmas.

The origin of the word ‘Hogmanay’ is lost in the past. Historians believe that the Scots inherited the celebration from the Vikings who, coming from even further north than they themselves, paid even more attention to the passing of the shortest day.

The Scots have a long rich heritage associated with this event. There are traditions such as cleaning the house (known as "redding") on December 31st (including taking out the ashes from the fire in the days when coal fires were common); visiting friends and relatives immediately after New Year's Eve, in the early hours of the morning of January 1st. First footing after the bells have rung in the New Year is still common - the "first foot" in the house after midnight should be male, dark, and handsome and should carry symbolic coal, shortbread, salt, black bun (a spiced cake) and, of course, whisky.

And Scotland is the only part of the UK that has a statutory holiday on January 2^nd as well as January 1^st - so they can recover from the excesses of December 31^st! (1136)

Questions:

1.What is the major celebration on the Scottish calendar?

2.What is the origin of “Hogmanay”?

3.How do the Scots celebrate this holiday?

4.Why don’t they work or study on January 1^st and January 2^nd?

5.Which celebration is more important in other parts of the UK: the New Year or Christmas?

Text 2

Mr Sellyer Is Selling Booksafter S.Leacock

One day I went to a bookshop to look through the new books. While I was looking through the books, I could watch Mr Sellyer, manager of the shop, and see some of his methods.

Every customer who entered the shop went away with the book Golden Dreams. To one lady the manager sold this book as the reading for a holiday, to another as the book to read after a holiday. One man bought it to read on a rainy day and another one as the right book for a fine day. Every time Mr Sellyer recommended the book to his customers he added that his wife said that Golden Dreams was the best book of the season.

I asked the manager, “Do you like the book yourself?” He answered, “Dear me! I’ve no idea of the book”. “And did your wife really like the book?”, I asked. “I’m not married, sir”, answered the manager smiling.

Questions:

1.What did Mr. Sellyer tell his customers about the book Golden Dreams?

2.Why did the customers buy the book?

3.Did Mr. Sellyer tell them the truth about the book? Do you you think of him and his methods?

4.What job would you like to have in the future?

5.Why would you like to be a ..........?

6.Are your parents for or against your decision?

7.Say how much you know about this profession; where you get information about it.

8.Have you ever spoken to people of this profession? What did they say about it?

9.Do you think this profession is important nowadays?

10.What qualities do you need to become a successful .........?

11.What school subjects are important for your education? Are you good at them?

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1486